


A Student's Wisdom

by SoloraGoldsun



Category: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: AU, Apologies, Castle Guard!Deet, Conversations, Friendship, Gen, Misunderstandings, Sparring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25139431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoloraGoldsun/pseuds/SoloraGoldsun
Summary: Deet is the first and only Grottan Guard at the Castle of the Crystal, and hasn't had much luck in making friends. When Rian, the son of Captain Ordon, is reluctantly assigned as her mentor, she's convinced that things can't get much worse. A conversation while sparring one day, however, brings hope that a new friendship can form. (Donation fic for Jack.)
Relationships: Deet & Gurjin (Dark Crystal), Deet & Mira (Dark Crystal), Deet & Rian (Dark Crystal)
Kudos: 20





	A Student's Wisdom

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again, my lovelies! I’m back with my third and last donation fic. I didn’t get as many takers as I had expected, but I’m grateful to the three who made generous donations and entrusted me with the story ideas they wanted to see brought to light. The world continues to struggle, but we will keep fighting to keep our heads up and push for a better future. If I can make someone’s day a little brighter with my writing, that’s enough for me.
> 
> This request is for Jack, who made a generous donation to Rainbow Railroad. They asked for a scene from a larger fic idea of theirs. This is an AU in which Deet is sent to the Castle of the Crystal as the first Grottan Guard. The full fic will involve several plot points, such as Deet befriending Rian after a rough start, having a brief romantic relationship with Gurjin, and eventually falling in love with Rian. Jack is currently looking to commission the whole idea to a worthy writer in the Dark Crystal fandom. Contact them on Tumblr via the username myfanartblogplusshippingtrash if you’re interested.
> 
> In the meantime, enjoy!

Deet had never hated her Grottan qualities before leaving Domrak to begin her duties at the Castle of the Crystal. She tried to tell herself that she still didn’t hate them, even when the other soldiers wrinkled their noses when she walked by, or asked if she was feeling ill in faux-innocent voices, pointing out her green-tinted skin, or snickered behind their hands at her less-than-stellar performances in the training arena.

“There are always a few idiots,” Gurjin often told her. He was the one ray of hope in this open-skied nightmare, the only friendly face she could rely on. “It was the same for me when I first got here. Just focus on your training for now. The rest is just noise. You’ll make more friends soon enough.”

She wanted to believe him. She probably would have believed him, if not for her stupid Grottan ears with their stupid perfect hearing. Without them, she might have existed under the happy delusion that her new mentor Rian, son of Ordon, and her roommate Mira had at least some level of goodwill toward her.

Alas, while going to her room one night, not long after Rian was assigned to her, she overheard a conversation in the next hallway that destroyed that fantasy.

“I can’t believe Father’s foisting the Grottan rookie on me!” Rian had griped as he came in from a patrol with Mira and another Stonewood guard whose name Deet couldn’t remember.

“It’s not fair,” Mira had agreed. “Gurjin and I were as much to blame for that kitchen fire.”

“It was the Podlings, more like,” Rian grumbled. “They’re the ones who tripped when we made an innocent grab for those peachberries.”

“I don’t envy you,” the other Stonewood had said with a dry chuckle. “Not soldier material at all, that one, and her inability to learn will reflect negatively on you now.”

“It doesn’t say much about the Grottan if she’s the best they could come up with for their first Castle Guard,” Mira muttered.

Rian groaned. “Thanks for making it worse!”

Deet had hurried into her room and tried to blot out her tears before Mira came in, pretending to be asleep when the door opened and closed a few minutes later.

Now, a little over a week later, Deet was doing her best to prove everyone wrong. She fought to dodge every blow Rian struck, succeeding more than she had the previous day. She tried to get a few strikes in, failing more often than not. 

Another Gelfling might have put extra force behind their swings, fueled by anger at the callous words spoken against them. Deet, however, was not an angry Gelfling. What she felt was a strange combination of sadness, determination, and a strangely resigned sensation that was altogether new to her. She was becoming almost numb as a large part of her brain became more and more convinced that she was simply fated to be little more than an ostracized weirdo. If she could fully embrace that numbness, maybe everything else would hurt less.

The thing that upset her the most was how friendly Rian was pretending to be, as if he hadn’t been speaking ill of her behind her back. She hated it because she would have believed his smile under any other circumstance. It made her question just how much could be trusted at the Castle. Was even Gurjin’s kindness fake?

WHAP!

That minor lapse of concentration was enough for Rian to strike a sound blow to Deet’s side with his wood practice sword. She yelped at the sudden pain, dropping her sword instinctively to put a hand on the new bruise. The point of Rian’s sword touched her throat.

“You’re dead,” Rian said bluntly. “You got distracted again. Daydreaming in battle is the quickest way to get yourself killed.”

“I understand,” Deet muttered, wincing in pain as she tried to straighten up.

“Why don’t we take a break?” Rian offered, noting the harsh sound of Deet’s breaths. He had noticed steady improvement in his new apprentice over the past few days but was all too aware of how easily exhaustion could catch up with a new soldier.

“If you like,” Deet replied, nodding once as she walked toward the other side of the training grounds to drink from her canteen. Her ears twitched when she realized that Rian was following her instead of going to a different area, like he usually did. 

She paused. “Was there something else?”

Rian stopped short at the tone in Deet’s voice. It wasn’t cold or angry, per say. Rather, it was dull and sad, not inviting any further conversation, as if trying to snuff out any replies before they could even be spoken.

“I…was going to join you, if that’s okay,” he ventured.

Due to his training, Rian was good at reading the expressions of other creatures, those little slip-ups when they let their true reactions show. It was one of the quickest ways to detect a threat and predict an opponent’s next move. For a brief moment, he watched Deet’s face take on a slight flicker of surprise that darted across her features before being covered in a veil of suspicion, detectable in the ever-so-slight narrowing of her large, dark eyes.

“I don’t mind,” Deet replied, keeping her voice light. If faking friendliness was a thing daylighters did, she’d might as well learn the custom in order to fit in better. Once again, she found herself thinking of the easy kindness of her fellow Grottan and the utter absence of doubt that had filled every interaction with them.

It was impossible to not notice the tension in Deet’s shoulders as Rian sat next to her. He frowned, trying to figure out the reason.

When the Skeksis had announced the arrival of the first Grottan Guard, Rian had admittedly not been impressed. The rookie had been small, meek, and soft-spoken. She quickly developed a reputation for not trying very hard during training sessions and for hiding in dark corners instead of talking with anyone. When Rian had (reluctantly) been assigned to train her, however, he had immediately noticed her potential. She followed instructions well and was able to correct her technique quickly. She needed to put more muscle behind her blows, but she was clearly intelligent.

Yet even when Rian tried to talk to her or suggest extra training sessions, she would remain closed off and would hurry away at the first opportunity. Mira had recently mentioned that Deet seemed to be actively avoiding everyone but Gurjin. When Rian last asked his best friend about Deet, Gurjin had said that she was a perfectly nice, charming Gelfling. Rian even got the feeling that his friend was developing some feelings for the quiet Grottan.

What was Gurjin doing that Rian wasn’t?

When they finished their water and started back toward the field, Rian decided to investigate. Deet couldn’t run away while training, after all, and it would provide some extra instruction on how to fight while someone is trying to distract them.

“So,” Rian said as Deet charged him. “Why don’t you like me?”

Deet’s stomach dropped at the question and she skidded to a halt, which led to her tripping and falling flat on her face. Her cheeks burned as Rian’s sword tapped the back of her neck.

“You’re dead, by the way,” he added with a wry smile.

Deet sat up, dusting herself off. “That wasn’t very nice,” she muttered.

“Enemies aren’t going to be nice,” Rian said calmly. “They’ll also have much better ways to try and distract you.”

“So, was that a distraction, or an actual question?” Deet asked, her voice trembling a bit as she got into her fighting stance. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for this conversation, but it was almost better to be having it while being repeatedly pummeled. It gave her something else to focus on, at the very least.

“Both,” Rian admitted, jabbing at Deet’s leg. She barely was able to block and jump back in time. “You have a bit of a reputation for being distant, but I figured we could at least be friends, since I’m teaching you, and all.”

For a moment, Deet felt actual indignation. Was he trying to blame her for being “distant?” Was he really reprimanding her for not wanting to befriend her reluctant mentor?

“I prefer to be friends with those who are friendly to me,” she said, keeping her words measured as she circled to the side. Seeing him pause with confusion, she swept at his leg, managing to tap his ankle before he stumbled back into position.

“Good hit,” he said, even as his brow creased in confusion. “When was I unfriendly to you? I’ll admit I didn’t really talk to you before we were assigned together, but-”

“I overheard you,” Deet cut in, using her wings to fly back and out of reach. She stood up straighter, lowering her practice sword. “Back when Captain Ordon first assigned you to me, you were complaining to Mira and another guard about it. Mira said that my Clan must not be worth much if I’m the best they could send.”

There was silence. Even the breeze that had been passing through the training grounds seemed to pause.

“Ah…” That was all Rian could force out through his suddenly dry mouth. Deet could have easily made an attack on him at that moment, but she didn’t, though Rian suddenly wanted very much for someone to deliver a swift blow to his skull.

Deet sighed as Rian visibly deflated, taking another step back to let him recover. “I know you don’t like me, so please don’t act like you do. I’d honestly prefer it if you just hated me openly, so I wouldn’t have to second-guess everything!” She felt tears welling up in her eyes and hurriedly swiped at them. Guards probably weren’t encouraged to cry, after all.

“Deet, I-” Rian started, then stopped, staring at the ground. He had to be careful about what he said. He had already botched things enough.

“I’m sorry,” he said finally, drawing himself up straight while keeping his head lowered. “I shouldn’t have spoken ill of you, and I shouldn’t have let my fellow Guards do so. That was unworthy of me as a Guard and as the son of our Captain.”

Deet’s ears perked up a little in surprise. A straightforward apology was the last thing she had been expecting. _Apologies are hard to fake,_ she reflected. There hadn’t been a hint of sarcasm or indignation in his tone. _I’m going to hope that he means it,_ she decided. 

“I forgive you,” she replied, allowing her face to relax into something that was almost a smile.

Rian’s shoulders relaxed. “Thank you.” He looked up again, glad to see that his apprentice no longer looked close to tears. “And I really don’t dislike you. You’ve been a very good student since we started and have shown a great deal of improvement.”

“You and Gurjin are the only ones who think so,” Deet sighed, looking morosely at her practice sword. “Mira and the others think I’m useless.”

“They don’t!” Rian said quickly. “At least, I know Mira doesn’t.” His cheeks colored at Deet’s skeptical look. “She shouldn’t have said what she did about your Clan. She was just…confused, I guess. Most of us were when you came. You’re the first of the Grottan to be sent to the Castle. We were expecting a seasoned fighter.”

“But you got me,” Deet finished, her wings drooping even further. _Amri would have done well here,_ she thought bitterly. _He’s strong, and he gets along with everyone. Why couldn’t Maudra Argot have sent him?_

“Hey.” Rian walked over, placing a hand on Deet’s shoulder. “You’ve been improving a lot. If you just put more force into your swings, you’d go a long way. Your technique is good, but you always hesitate before striking. That’s your biggest problem, and that’s easily fixed.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” Deet confessed, even as she took some comfort in Rian’s touch. Friendly moments of contact had become few and far between since her arrival at the Castle, so she was glad to accept what she could. “I get worried about injuring the other Guards. If I have to protect myself or someone else, I won’t hold back, but I don’t want to hurt someone when we’re just training.”

_She’s definitely too gentle-hearted for this place,_ Rian thought, though he didn’t say that out loud. Instead, he said: “In training, we expect a few bruises. No one will get mad at you for landing a good hit.”

“I’ll try to remember,” Deet promised, though she still didn’t like the idea of causing any harm to her fellow Gelfling, even if it was something minor.

The two sparred in silence for a little while longer before Rian called an end to their lesson. They sat with their canteens in hand, Rian rubbing a bruise on his leg.

“See?” he said with a grin. “That’s more like it.”

Deet managed a smile, though she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty as she looked at the blue and black mark. She took a sip of water. “There’s one more thing that confuses me.”

“Hm?” Rian glanced up.

“When you were talking to Mira, you were angry that your father assigned me to you. You also mentioned a kitchen fire. How are those things connected?”

“Ah, that.” Rian coughed self-consciously. “Gurjin, Mira, and I got in a little…trouble. My father chewed us out before assigning you to me a day later. Being stuck with rookies is generally looked at as a chore, so Father decided to give me an extra punishment. I was mostly angry at him when you overheard us, not that that excuses what I said.”

Deet frowned. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“What doesn’t?”

“Why would being assigned a teaching role be a punishment?” Deet thought back to her time learning from urLii when she was a youngling. “In Domrak, teachers are highly respected, because it’s their responsibility to pass knowledge to those who wouldn’t otherwise have it. Being a Guard is an important job, so wouldn’t it take someone special to teach someone new how to do it?”

“I…” Rian paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “I…never thought of it like that.”

Deet stood up, putting her canteen in her pack. “I don’t think your father was punishing you. I think he was showing you that he still trusts you.”

Rian felt a strange lightening in his heart as Deet’s words settled in. They rang true, truer than his angry thoughts of the previous week. _Giving me more work as a compliment. That does sound like something he’d do,_ he thought with a growing smile.

When he looked back at Deet, it was like he was seeing her clearly for the first time. Though she was smaller and gentler than the other soldiers, there was an openness to her, something that allowed her to learn and impart knowledge as easily as breathing. There was a sense of wisdom to her that the others lacked. Maybe, just maybe, that was why her maudra had seen fit to send her as the first soldier of her Clan.

Rian was glad, regardless of the reason for Deet’s assignment. In that moment, he knew that they were going to be friends.

Deet’s gaze locked with Rian’s and she saw genuine happiness and acceptance there, the kind that couldn’t be faked or lied about. She returned his smile, feeling more hopeful than she had in days. Perhaps, being at the Castle wouldn’t be so bad after all.

She glanced at the Brothers overhead. “It looks like it’s almost lunchtime.” She shouldered her pack. “I’ll see you in the evening.”

“Would you like to eat with Mira, Gurjin, and me?” Rian asked. His heart hurt when he saw that flicker of surprise once again. He would definitely have to make more of an effort to be kind to her in the future, to make up for the loneliness she had put up with until now.

Deet’s eyes widened briefly at the offer. She had grown used to taking her food and hiding somewhere near the kitchens, staring at the walls as she ate. When Gurjin offered to eat with her, she would always make excuses, not wanting to drag him away from his friends. 

But now…

“I’d be happy to!” Deet tried not to skip too obviously as she followed Rian back toward the Castle.

Maybe, just maybe, being a Guard wouldn’t be so bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you again for your donation, Jack. I hope I was able to do your idea justice!
> 
> We’ve entered the second half of an incredibly rough year. People are suffering. People are dying. As an American, I try to have faith that things will get better, that my country can be better. All we can do is keep fighting to make things better, to help just one more person in whatever way we can. Keep pushing until tomorrow, and then again to the next tomorrow, and the next. We will make it through and reach that better tomorrow someday.
> 
> Stay strong, and peace out.


End file.
